Notch, Draw, Loose
by Padfoot's Pawprint
Summary: AU. They both had guts, but Maka Albarn refused to be shown up, let alone tutored, in the art of archery by Soul Evans.


**This story came to me very randomly while I was reading the first few books in the series '****_A Song of Ice and Fire' _****(aka ****_'The Game of Thrones'_****series). The story is really long and if it feels boring or painful please review so I can edit it and fix it up**

**I don't have a beta and I don't run my stories by anyone else **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater or Game of Thrones (it's not a crossover)**

* * *

She was equipped to kill. Instead of using her usual weapon, she was entertaining her grandfather's weapon; a thin, lethe bow.

A soft ruffle of foliage ahead let her know that game was approaching and she snatched an arrow from its quiver, softly placing it on the bow and pulling back the tail. "Notch, draw, loose," she whispered to herself, drawing the arrow back past her cheek. "Notch,_draw,_" She narrowed her eyes as her game jumped from the bush, curiosity winning over its instinct. Maka lowered her arrow slightly to ensure maximum aim, but then the rabbit looked over at her and she hesitated for a split second, not hearing the ruffles from behind her.

"_Loose_," a voice whispered in her ear and her surprise made her let the arrow fly early. It thunked into a tree near the rabbit, which scampered away at the sound. She growled, and stalked away to retrieve her arrow while her companion laughed behind her. Maka pulled it out of the trunk and wiped it clean on her tunic. Her companion helped not, leaning on the trees and watching her with light hair and dark eyes.

"Shut up." Maka heard him snort and walk over to her, no doubt grinning stupidly as well.

"I didn't say anything," he protested, but she could hear the smile in his voice.

"You didn't have to. Your expressions spoke for themselves."

"Did they tell you that you're useless with the bow?" he asked, "Because they should have."

Maka glared at him. "The bow isn't my main weapon, and neither is it yours."

"I suppose," he said, his hand floating over the pommel of his sword for a moment. "But you train with this everyday and no good comes of it, Maka. Admit it. You cannot master the bow."

_And you would know if I train every day or not?_

"Why do you doubt me? Afraid I'll defeat you at the upcoming tournament?" she said instead.

"That's not the problem," he said irritably, "Besides, you wouldn't be a threat at the tournament, especially since you can't compete."

"It's not that I cannot," she said angrily at his dismissal, "It is merely because women-"

"-are not respected in the tournament, I know." He sighed. "Sometimes I wonder when you became such a hard head."

"When I learned sexist men like you existed." Maka shoved the arrow back into the quiver and stalked away, Soul trailing behind her. "Why are you here anyway? Come to watch me fail?"

"I wanted to see your progress," he said, "But seeing you fail feels much better."

Maka stopped suddenly and poked at his chest. "For your information, I am a brilliant archer when you're not around."

"Oh, really?" He leaned down, eyes narrowed. "You're telling me that you're an _expert_ archer?"

"I'm better than you, at least," she lied.

"Prove it." He pulled back, arms folded across his chest. "Surprise me."

"Fine." She was never one to brag and boast about things, especially not weapon related things. However, being around Soul had that sort of effect that put them at odds constantly. She knew when to be supportive, and he knew when to back down, but sometimes they forsook it all and raged at each other, competing. "But I don't have a target."

"Since when do you need a target?" scoffed Soul, "Just shoot something."

"Why should I waste an arrow on this?" she said, wiping her hands on her pants, her courage failing her. Soul gave a sigh. "What? It's true!"

"It's not wasting when you can go retrieve it later," said Soul, "So stop being such a coward and just shoot the damn arrow."

"I don't want to. I've changed my mind."

Soul rolled his eyes. "You are such a child; 0% physical strength or accuracy. 'Star will be glad to hear it.

Her eyes widened. "You wouldn't – I mean, that's a _lie_ – you can't do that. He'll tell _everyone_," she spluttered while Soul laughed.

"Then let's see whether or not it is a lie, huh?"

She grumbled as she pulled a new arrow out and aimed at the tree ahead. "Notch, draw..." she lined it up.

"LOOSE!" The arrow sunk into the ground not too far from her and Maka glared at him. "What?"

"Do you _mind_?"

"Not my fault you can't pay attention." She smacked him in the shoulder. Hard. "Hey!"

"Whoops, my bad. I lost control of my arm."

"You said that," he said, grinning, "Remember. I might just use it against you."

She snorted and pulled the arrow back. When she let it fly, it thumped into the base of her target. "At least I hit it."

Soul rolled his eyes and grabbed her bow. "Let me show you how it's done."

"I really don't think that it'll prove _anything_," she said, embarrassed at her folly. Unfortunately, she knew that Soul had more experience with a bow, and that him besting her was inevitable.

Of course, she was right in the end. Soul's hit the tree almost straight on, and he smirked at her in triumph. "You need more practice."

_Notch._

"Shut up." He laughed at her red face before going behind her. Smoothly, he moved her hands to the bow till his covered hers. She blushed as he steadied himself behind her, hands over hers to lead her.

"You should know better." He grabbed an arrow and placed it in her hand. "Notch." Hi voice was right behind her, making her anxious. She had never been this close to Soul, save when she'd twisted her ankle, and he carried her back home. No, this was indeed different. It brought up memories of their childhood when he would hold her to muffle her crying caused by the intensity of her parents' fights; memories of when he wasn't training to be a knight for the king, and they would play for hours on end for weeks without worries. "Draw." His hand feathered hers as she drew back the arrow, tickling the back of her hand with the tips. She was much more conscious of him now than before and as Soul tapped her hand to lift the bow higher, his mouth came beside her ear. "Loose."

Her arrow hit right next to Soul's and she breathed out a sigh as he moved back to admire the shot, taking the bow with him. "Much better," he said, touching her hand. "It's all with your fingers."

She turned, almost bumping into him. "Thanks."

He shrugged. "I should have put money on that shot," he said, "I might have made something."

"Because I'm dumb enough to bet on something like that." Maka fidgeted before sticking out her hand. "Bow."

He snorted, pushing away her hand and carefully slipping the bow over her head. He tugged her closer, fingers lingering at the base of the bow by her waist. "You know, you really aren't much of a shot."

She flushed. "I-" But the words weren't coming out because his lips were on hers and he was kissing her. It felt strange, as she was a girl who had never been kissed before. Her head was swimming and she couldn't think much else except that he was kissing her and her heart was beating furiously. Slowly, without control, her eyes began to close and her hands were holding on to his shirt, he head tilting on its own. He started to pull back and she followed him, unsure of what to do, but not wanting to break this new found closeness with him.

She heard a rumble of laughter before Soul's hand pushed her away. "Eager, aren't you?" She flushed darker, and the sight made Soul laugh. "No need to be embarrassed. I feel the same." She glanced down at where his hands rested low before questioning him with her eyes. "Well, I hoped you'd want to breathe, no?"

She giggled breathlessly. "I wouldn't want to faint, so..." Her hands reached up to touch his, eyes down. "I don't...I mean...I'm not sure how-"

She heard him laugh at her again, and she felt like a child; lost. She started to pull back, but Soul had a firm hand on her hips and she wasn't moving anywhere. "You're really cute when you're confused," he said, surprising her with another kiss. She squeezed his wrists, her heart thumping at a rapid pace. If he kept doing this, she'd never be able to think again. Her chest heaved when he released her, dizzy from lack of air.

"See? You're getting it." This time he sounded strange, his eyes brighter than before and his cheeks taking on a more flushed tone.

"What are you playing at?" she asked softly. At some point, her hands had managed to snake themselves around her neck. Soul's own arms encircled her, fingers tickling the base of her back. "You kiss and tease all the time."

"You don't know why? You're clever enough to have at least an idea." She stared at him, partly praying. She had an idea – she'd always had an idea – but it had to be too good to be true. She didn't dare hope that he would like a girl like her. When she didn't say anything, he frowned. "Go on, say something." She didn't. "_Maka_."

"Soul, I have a million ideas, but no proof to support it."

"Proof?" He echoed with a chuckle. "If this isn't proof, I don't know what is." He nipped her lips mischievously. "Because I'm starting to think you need more hints."

"_More_ hints?" Maka was sure that her body would shut down if he attempted any more 'hints'. "No, I'm good."

Soul laughed. "Making sure."

"What are you trying to accomplish?"

"What are _you_ trying to accomplish by going to Correst for work?" he asked, and suddenly the attention was on her again.

She froze and looked down, embarrassed. "How did you know about that? No one knew but Tsubaki and I!"

He looked annoyed. "Black Star." She growled, cursing a little. That little- "But that doesn't explain why you're leaving."

"It's just for a bit," she said, his gaze still intense, "I won't be gone long."

"3 months is a long time."

She gaped. "How-"

"Your dad." Maka stared at him, incredulous. "_They_ told _me_ this, mind you."

"But why?"

"Your dad was drunk and-"

"No. Soul, _why_ tell you?"

He stared at her. "They don't want you to leave. You belong here."

_Draw._

His voice was firm, like he expected his say to be accepted and done. But she couldn't. This was her chance to branch out on her own; her chance to get out of her small village and work independently. "I can't," she said softly.

"Of course you can. Just stay here. Stop trying to go out and do it alone."

"Soul, I _have_ to do this. I can't stay in this village like my father. My mother is out scowering unknown cities and my father refuses to take the king's Knighting offer. I refuse to just be some inn maid for the rest of my life, Soul. So, maybe the guys don't harass me as much," she said quickly, "It's not the best place."

"It's safe here, Maka. Out there..." he shook his head angrily. "Do you plan on going somewhere even farther than Correst like your mother?"

She flinched, arms loosely around his neck. "What do you-?"

"Do you want to leave Tsubaki or Black Star or Kim or your dad?" _Or me?_ She could almost hear the implied words at the end. "Won't they be upset when they find out what you're doing?"

"You go all the time," she protested, "That's not fair."

"Nobody cared it I left for training. I promised to-"

"I cared." She ducked her head down to hide her face. "I mean, every one cared but, I...cared as well. I didn't want you to leave," she said pathetically.

"If you cared, why didn't you tell me?"

"It's complicated."

"Tell me."

She took a breath, before saying, "It wasn't my place."

"How wasn't it your place? You're my best friend!"

"_Was _your best friend." Her hand came down to his elbow as if to push him away. "Black Star holds that title now."

"You're _important_ to me." She glanced up, surprised at the passionate response. "If you told me not to go, I wouldn't have."

"But-"

"But you didn't so I thought you didn't care if I left."

"But your brother! Black Star!"

"My family stopped mattering to me a long time ago. And Black Star just wanted to get in to more trouble with me. In fact, one day, he told me he wanted to come with me."

"What?!"

"Yeah, but Tsubaki wouldn't let him," said Soul, "You know how attached they are." She did. "I thought you knew, though."

"No," she said, softly. "What about Kilik and your other friends?"

"They knew I'd come home eventually. And they trusted that your judgement was best."

"My..." She breathed in deeply. "I don't understand."

"You never do," he sighed, kissing her forehead. She flushed, gripping his sleeves. "If you're going to Correst, then I'm going with you."

"What?" She jerked back, still in her arms. "You can't."

"Why not?" he asked, confused, "There's nothing wrong with me going with you."

"You can't, Soul." She gave a half-hearted shove against his chest. "You just can't."

"'Course I can," he said.

"But your training-"

"Forget my training. You're more important"

She was quiet, staring at him in awe. "Why?"

_Loose._

"Because I love you." Her eyes widened. "You're the only person I would leave knighthood for."

"Soul, I-"

"If you really want to go to Correst, then we'll go together. I don't care about my knighthood. I only did it for you, anyway."

"That's not possible," she gaped. "You told me that obtaining knighted was your _dream_; that you would make yourself well known in the kingdom to gain recognition from your family."

"Yes, it was my dream. And it became my dream even since we were little and you told me that knights were the kind of people every girl wanted to marry. Be it for dowry, or chivalry, you always told me you wanted a husband that was a knight. And although your father's...ah, _situation_ changed your perspective on a lot of things, I know that you've still dreamed about it."

"I dreamed about lots of things growing up," she said solemnly, "But out of all of them, that was the dream that I was sure would not come true."

"Well, it's coming true," he said, flashing her a hesitant smile, "if you'll let it." When she continued to look uneasy, he said, "Think of this as archery."

"Why would I do that?" she asked, her awkwardness taking a backseat to her curiousity.

"Well, you've got to prepare yourself before you hit your target. And knowing you, you'll need help hitting your target. But as long as your let your arrow fly, you'll hit something. And with me, you're guaranteed to hit your target."

"So confident," she said with a grimace, while he just smirked.

"Say what you want, but our arrows speak for themselves." Maka spared a glance at her practice tree where their arrows stood, side by side. "So what do you say? Will you stay here? Or let me go with you? Either way, I'm still going to be in your life."

"I don't want to stay," she said, "But I refuse to take you away from a kingdom that needs you."

"I am but one knight," he said, "The king has no direct need for me."

"Not today," she agreed, "But someday soon, he may call upon you, and when that day comes, you need to be ready for it."

He grimaced. "You're making me feel like you don't want me around you."

"I do want you around me," she protested while he snorted.

He dipped his head down and tilted his head suggestively. "Are you trying to seduce me?"

"Wha-"

"I am just playing with you," he laughed, "You really are the most uptight girl I have ever known."

"Then why do you even bother?" she grumbled, bumping her head against his chest and letting it rest there.

"Because I love you," he said, kissing her hair, "And I know that you love me too."

"Stop talking," she said harshly, squeezing his arms tightly, nails digging through the sleeves of his tunic. She had always been strong for her age, and on a normal day, Soul would not have pointed out her strength. She heard him clench his teeth, like it pained him, before he took a sharp breath in.

"Fine then," he said, "No talking as long as you get those damn nails out of my skin," She removed them. "If I cannot use words, then perhaps you read body language better."

He took a hand and used it to tilt her head back and kiss her. She pulled away, red as the noon sky. "You need to stop looking for excuses to kiss me." He kissed her again. "Stop it, Soul, I mean it," she warned, but his hands were doing things that they should not have been doing, like rubbing her lower back and thumbing her throat thoughtfully. "Soul," she growled warningly before her speech was taken from her and his lips found hers again. Maka was trying desperately to come up with a coherent sentence but words were just now in her favour, slipping past her tongue and into a hidden place where she could not regain them.

There was a moment, a soft, sweet moment, in which Maka's mind was wiped completely blank and Soul's essence was all she could feel. It almost felt like flying, her rational side taking a back seat to her passions. This was what losing control really felt like, she thought dimly, her thoughts jumbled within her mind. It was the sound of wild deer passing through the woods that jolted her to her senses, resulting in her pushing him away, head turned from his gaze. "Fine, we'll compromise," she said breathlessly, and she heard him chuckle.

"Good," he said, "That means you're staying here."

"Of course not!" she said indignantly, her inner fire rekindling, "And you are absolutely not leaving the kingdom."

Soul stared down at her for a few minutes before smirking at her. "Then perhaps you should come to the capitol city with me."

"_What_?"

"Why not?" he asked. "You want to leave, but you refuse to let me leave. I am fine with leaving, but I refuse to allow you to go to a place I cannot reach. Therefore going to the capitol with me allows me to stay, and you to go in a way that won't upset either of us."

"But...that means that-"

"Yes," he said with a suggestive smirk, "You'll be living with me." She flushed red, her hands clenching in the fabric of his tunic. "Don't be nervous," he said, releasing her, taking her hand and bringing her over to the tree where their arrows sat. "Think of it as practice."

"Practice? For what?" she asked nervously, afraid she already knew the answer.

As if reading her mind, he said, "I think you know." She fiddled her her shirt, embarrassed at his words while Soul tugged the arrows off the bark and slipped then back in to her quiver. "Good, then we need to get you back home and packed."

"What?! Packed? I didn't even say I would go with you."

"Well, you will, won't you?" he asked, "Besides, you didn't have to tell me. I know you'll come. After all, it's the only way to compromise."

"But..." she trailed off, frowning stubbornly. She wanted to contradict him but there were no excuses she could use.

Because despite everything, living with him was probably going to be the experience of her life. It would give her a whole new scope on life, and open up a whole other world to her.

And she would be sharing it with the person that she loved.

At least, she hoped that it was love. But that was assuming love was an all-consuming feeling; a feeling that entailed worry, and teasing, and kissing, and passions, and the need to be by his side as much as possible.

"No, buts," he said, smiling back at her as he led her out of the forest, "You're going to pack and move to the capitol because I love you and because, against all odds, you love me too."

And there it was, her feelings out in the open like the sun in the sky, brilliant and obvious.

"I love you?" she asked slowly, the words slipping out of her mouth without her realizing.

"I should hope so," he joked, "Or else I'd be going with another random girl that does poorly in archery."

"No archery jokes from you," she said warningly, but the smile on her face kept Soul from taking her too seriously.

She marvelled at the feeling Soul had identified as love, before suddenly laughing. She was finally in love, something she had vowed never to do.

"Maka, you feeling alright?"

"Of course!" she said, "I love _you_."

"And I love you," he said softly, watching as her eyes watered and her hand begun to shake in his. "And I will never leave you again."

"It's a promise then," she said and he grinned.

"Promise."

_She supposed archery was good for something._

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The End~

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**may all your arrows hit their targets**

**please R&r**


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